


perfect reality

by nctdreammybubs



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, No spoilers :), injuries, markhyuck, markhyuck makes me soft, nct is a gang, the rest are mentioned - Freeform, they fall in love rly fast, they're more of a family than a gang though, very very very slight norenmin, weak attempt at angst so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-14 18:48:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16498205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nctdreammybubs/pseuds/nctdreammybubs
Summary: he thinks its funny how they've literally met a few hours ago, and here they were now cuddling in his bed, in his new home, making promises they didn't know if they could keep.//donghyuck saves mark off the streets, and mark is taken in by NCT, who welcome him with open arms.





	perfect reality

**Author's Note:**

> soooooo this is a very weak attempt at angst and it's my first time writing a fic with this theme and i really suck at it so forgive me!! this fic kind of just happened and i'm sorry if it doesn't meet your expectations :( its not edited yet so forgive me for the typos! I hope you like it!! :)

a figure steps out of the shadows, a black leather jacket over his shoulders. his white nike shirt is a huge contrast to the black ripped skinny jeans that he has on, and his head is tilted to the left as it rests on the baseball bat thats up against his shoulder. amidst all the black and white, a pink bubble appears out of the brunette's lips, his free hand reaches up to push his bangs up slightly, revealing his turquoise tinted iris. his eyes are drawn with thick, black eyeliner, and mark notices that there's a tiny silver ring pierced through his lips. mark's brain tells him that the boy before him is the literal definition of a demon, but he can't tear his eyes away from the male standing at the entrance of the alley way. 

"leave him alone," mark hears his voice for the first time, and its soothing, nothing close to what mark would have imagined to be close to demon-like. more of an angel if you asked him. 

"who the fuck are you?" the tall stranger who has his knife up against mark's throat hisses out, and mark stiffens when he feels the sharp object being pushed closer to his neck. he was sure that in his usual condition, he would have been able to fend off the man alone, but the man had gotten an advantage, being able to stab mark's side before mark could retaliate. mark wonders how he's managed to stay alive, alone, all these years. he was used to such situations by now, having been attacked just because people thought he was a lost and weak teenager, unable to defend himself. 

"i'll give you 3 seconds." 

"3," mark hears the stranger before him begin to breathe unevenly, deep in thoughts but fingers never loosening around the knife. mark's sure he's considering his chances of winning this fight, and for a moment he doubts that someone who looks even younger than him can save him. 

"2," the brunette is cracking his neck. for some reason, the cold and deadly look in his eyes tell mark that he doesn't need to worry about being unable to leave alive. 

"1," he sees the male wait for a moment, before he shakes his head. he runs over to where mark and the stranger so fast that mark can barely register his movements, and he swings the baseball bat in his hand down without hesitation. it hits the stranger who has mark up against the wall square in his neck, knocking the living light out of him. he collapses to the ground, and mark releases a sigh of relief. he feels his knees give up on him, and he slides to the floor.

"you're bleeding," the turquoise-eyed male's voice sounds warmer, less cold than it was seconds ago, probably with a tinge of concern as well. mark's fingers graze across the wound on his side, and he winces slightly at the stinging feeling. suddenly mark's head begins to pound harder, and his vision starts to get blurry. a groan slips out when he remembers how he'd hit his head against the wall previously while trying to avoid his attacker. he feels himself beginning to lose consciousness, and just before he blacks out, he hears his saviour mutter out a "shit".

-

mark wakes up with a jolt, and adrenaline pumps through his blood when he realises that he isn't in his own home. his eyes dart around the unfamiliar room. there's a table, a window, a bed, just like any other room in the world. it calms him for a moment, but it isn't enough to convince him that he's fully out of danger. mark had learnt better than to trust people he didn't know. he spots the door, and despite the pain in his side, forces himself onto his feet. but he immediately falls back into the bed he'd been sleeping on, a groan escaping his lips. just then the door to the room opens, and a pink haired male steps into the room. he has a stethoscope draped over his neck, and his eyes land on mark. mark's natural instinct is to pick up the most threatening object nearby, which just so happens to be an alarm clock. he picks it up, throwing it towards the male at the door without hesitation. said male barely manages to dodge it, his eyes shoot wide open, and the alarm clock lands on the floor behind him with a loud crash. mark curses and he scans the room for another object. his eyes land on the small fan sitting in the corner of the room, and he's about to dart over to it to pick it up when the pink haired male finally snaps out of his shocked state.

"hey hey calm down! i mean no harm," he raises up his hands defensively, and mark stops where he's standing. he squints his eyes at the pink haired boy, unsure if he's really able to trust him.

"i get it, trust issues and all, trust me, i get it. but i mean it. i'm not gonna do anything," he confirms before his expression twists into one of disgust at how ironic his words sound. mark lets out a sigh, and he sits back down on the bed. he sees a smile appear on the other's face as he makes his way over to where mark is sat on the bed. he sits down onto the bed next to mark.

"do you remember what happened?" mark nods.

"anywhere to return to?" mark looks distantly out the window. he did have a house, a small one room apartment which he'd barely managed to afford, but it definitely wasn't home. 

"not anymore," the other nods his head, knowing better than to question further.

"i'm jaemin. na jaemin. im a medic," he reaches a hand out for mark to shake, a wide smile on lips, and mark cautiously takes his hand.

"mark," he replies, shaking the other's hand.

just then the door opens again, causing the two males to turn their head towards it. mark sees the familiar mop of brown hair, and he relaxes. 

"oh you're awake?" the words escape his lips, and he makes his way over to where jaemin and mark are.

"how are you feeling?" mark shrugs.

"could've been better." a smirk appears on the stranger's lips, and he slips the remaining pocky stick he's eating into his mouth. 

"what's your name?" he asks, and his voice rings in mark's ear, and the latter never wants him to stop speaking.

"mark."

jaemin whistles. "damn hyuck. flirting the moment he gets up? let the man breathe!"

'hyuck' whips his head to glare at jaemin, a low growl escaping his lips. 

"shut up jaemin. all i asked for was his name."

the smirk on jaemin's face widens, and 'hyuck' reaches forward with the intention to wipe the smirk off his face. strangely, for the first time in years, mark feels at home. he watches 'hyuck' tackle jaemin, playfully tickling his sides causing the pink haired male to erupt into fits of mad laughter. it's only when jaemin finally throws his hands up to surrender does hyuck finally let the poor boy go, a smirk appearing on his face. he blushes for a moment when he remembers that mark is still there. 

"so, hyuck?" mark raises an eyebrow. donghyuck reaches a hand out.

"lee donghyuck," the boy smiles as he introduces himself and mark takes his hand, warm spreading from where their hands are connected to the rest of their body. mark takes in the sight of donghyuck, finally realising the difference between this donghyuck and the donghyuck who'd saved him from the back alley. 

donghyuck's eyes were no longer turquoise, now back to their usual brown. his eyeliner had been washed off, earring taken off, lip piercing gone as well. the skinny jeans were gone as well, now replaced by a pair of sweatpants that mark thinks highlights the shape of his thighs too well. 

"thanks for saving me, lee donghyuck," mark mumbles as his eyes dart to the floor in an attempt to force himself to look away from the boy's thighs. donghyuck snorts.

"no problem, mark."

awkward silence envelopes the both of them, and it's only then that mark realises that jaemin had left them alone.

"michael jackson?" he questions when his eyes land on donghyuck's tshirt, and he sees the latter's eyes light up. 

"yeah, he's a legend," donghyuck breathes out and mark laughs at how adorable the boy looks. they enter a full blown conversation about michael jackson, and mark wonders how donghyuck's already talking to him as if they were friends. he's about to agree with donghyuck about how michael jackson definitely is a legend, when their interaction is interrupted by the door opening again. 

"uhm," a boy with orange hair and wide eyes pokes his head in, almost as if afraid, "dinner time?" 

"okay, we'll be down in a second. thanks jisung," donghyuck says as jisung nods his head before turning to leave.

mark knows he should probably leave because afterall, he _was_ still in a house filled with strangers. he opens his mouth to speak but before any words can leave his mouth, he feels donghyuck's fingers wrap around his wrist, a cheeky grin on his face. before he knows it, donghyuck is dragging him out of the room, careful to not put too much strain on mark because of his injury. he's brought into what he supposes is the kitchen, where there are 2 long tables connected to each other. his eyes widen when he mentally counts the number of people, and he realises that there are 16 boys, not including him and donghyuck. so he was stuck in a house with 17 strangers? that definitely didn't sound good to mark. he tenses when he realises that they're all staring at him and donghyuck, and almost as if the latter realises how stiff he's gone, he feels the hold around his wrist tighten. 

donghyuck pulls him over to where there are 2 empty seats for them, and mark finds himself sat next to a male who greets him with a wide smile, coupled with an eyesmile. he returns the smile with a nod, and his eyes dart around to look at the new faces. he wonders if he's in an entertainment company for a moment because damn, the visuals.

"let's eat," a male with what mark figures is a mixture of grey and very light brown hair gestures for everyone to start eating. mark gasps when he recognises him as taeyong, the leader of an infamous gang in the city that is home to a group of teenagers just like himself. they go by the name NCT. he's known about them since he was in high school, and possibly dreamed about wanting to join them. he knows that they engage in gang fights sometimes, but only when necessary. they've never actually made things difficult for the public, so mark doesn't really have a problem with them. but he remembers having gotten into a huge fight with his father when he'd casually brought up the topic of being part of a gang when he was younger. 

mark hesitates for a moment.

"don't worry, it's safe to eat," donghyuck whispers to him, and even though it comes from someone that he's barely known for minutes, he decides to trust him. mark picks up the chopsticks, and slowly begins to stuff himself with the food. he only realises that he's eating too fast when he begins to choke on the food, and donghyuck hands him a glass of water which he silently thanks him for. swallowing the water in large gulps, he lets out a sigh of relief when the lump of food finally makes its way down his throat. donghyuck's hand is still running up and down his back in a soothing manner as he coughs slightly. he looks up and then he realises that everyone was staring at him, some with an unreadable expression, some with pity. but they just smile at him, before continuing to eat. when he's done eating, he figures the least he can do is to help with the dishes. so he stands up from his seat, making his way over to the sink where there is a pile of dirty dishes.

his nose scrunches up at the sight, and he sighs before picking up the plates to begin washing. he jolts when a figure appears next to him, and he realises it's taeyong. for some reason, he feels strangely at ease with the older. 

"was the food okay?" taeyong questions as he begins to dry the dishes. he chuckles when mark nods his head eagerly.

"did you make it yourself?" mark questions, to which the older nods. memories of his parents flood into his head, and he tears up at the thought of them.

"it was really good." 

comfortable silence envelopes the both of them as they continue to wash the dishes. 

"i heard you don't have anywhere to go to." 

"how about you stay here?" 

the plate mark is holding slips out of his fingers and lands back into the sink with a loud crash. 

"shit, i'm sorry," he panics as he picks up the broken plate with his bare hands. it cuts the tip of his fingers but he's panicking too much to notice. taeyong swiftly turns off the tap and suddenly mark's fingers are pried away from the broken pieces, and he notices that donghyuck is in front of him. his breaths are quick and short, but he winces slightly at the stinging feeling on his fingers. donghyuck quickly disinfects the wound and wraps a bandage around it before the bleeding can get worse. mark feels strangely calm, and his breaths slow down to their normal pace when donghyuck finishes wrapping the bandage around his finger. he doesn't forget to give it a quick peck, and he blushes, muttering something about it being a habit under his breath. mark finds it cute.

when he finally regains his composure, he turns to the older male with a hesitant look in his eyes. 

"why would you let me stay here? you guys don't even know me."

taeyong just shrugs. 

"we can't just kick you back out onto the streets."

"are you sure? won't the others mind?" mark's hesitant. very. today had been a day unlike any other, definitely lacking in the element of danger, which he's thankful for, but he's not used to being offered a place anywhere. taeyong gestures over behind mark, and mark turns to see the rest of the boys who'd been at the dinner table standing behind him, a warm smile on each of their faces. his gaze shifts to donghyuck who is next to him, a similarly wide smile on his face. his heart swells in warmth, and he turns back to face taeyong.

"thank you," he breathes out, a smile making its way onto his own face. the edges of taeyong's lips curve upwards, and he opens his arms wide. mark steps forward to return the hug. 

"welcome to the family, mark," taeyong finishes, and before he knows it, mark is stuck in the middle of a very big group hug.

it doesn't take long until mark's introduced to the rest of the group. he's heard of them before, but he doesn't recognise everyone. he learns that yukhei is the same age as him, and that donghyuck is younger than him. he also learns that they’re actually a part of a much bigger gang, known as SM. they had other allies, but worked in their own groups according to the system. mark and donghyuck are inseparable, and sensing how much mark trusts the younger, taeyong ends up getting mark to room with donghyuck. once the introductions are done, donghyuck doesn't hesitate to drag him to his room, which is now also their room. 

mark stands rooted at the door, eyes following the younger as he darts about the room, struggling to clean up the mess. when he manages to clear one pile, mark is finally able to make out the interior of the room. its a small room, much smaller than the one mark used to have years ago. there are two beds, one on the left and one on the right. he also realises that theres a table, and that right above the table is a window with a view of the streets. mark remembers how he used to have a decently huge bed, a television on the wall, and a corner with all his composing equipment. the room before him is nothing like what he's had before, but he's okay with it. in fact, he's more than okay with it, and when he sees donghyuck standing in the middle of the room, panting, he's more than glad that he's able to share a room with the younger. donghyuck looks over at him, a smile on his face as he gestures for mark to come in. 

"mark, that's your bed," he points to the bed on the left, neatly made. mark makes his way over to the bed, and when he sits down, the familiar feeling of sitting on a bed again returns and he finally remembers what its like to have a home. just then, a man who mark recognises as jaehyun, walks into a room with a blanket. 

"it's cold out tonight," he says as he hands the blanket over to mark with a smile, "you guys should go to sleep."

donghyuck nods his head, muttering a "nae hyung", before jaehyun walks out of the room.

mark adjusts his clothes, which were donghyuck's actually. its new, nothing like what mark has had in a really long time. he didn't really have the capability to afford new clothes considering how he had to cope with the monthly rent and all the bills. it makes him feel at home, something he'd lost a long time ago. when donghyuck turns off the lights, he pulls the blanket up to his shoulders. his eyes close, and he allows the silence to envelope him. after hours of tossing and turning, he's still unable to fall asleep, and he knows that the younger isn't asleep as well judging from the constant rustling of bedsheets. 

"donghyuck?" he calls out out softly.

"yeah?" the younger responds immediately, as if he knew that mark would call for him.

"i..." mark hesitates. he sees donghyuck flip over to look at him in the eyes, and he relaxes.

"i can't sleep," he breathes out. for a moment donghyuck doesn't say anything, just stares at him. so he sighs, slightly regretting having told the younger that, and he turns to face the wall so that his back is facing the younger. he's about to force himself to fall asleep again, when he hears shuffling behind him. before he knows it, his bed dips as if someone's sitting on it, and donghyuck is laying down behind to him. he turns back around to face the younger and almost curses at how close their faces are. shifting his body to make a little more space for donghyuck, the younger moves closer to him. his breath hitches when they make eye contact, and donghyuck's arms reach around to wrap around his body. 

donghyuck's hold around him tightens, and he feels tears begin to well up in his eyes as memories of how his parents used to envelope him in the same hugs flood through his mind. it's only when donghyuck's finger brushes against the corners of his eyes does he realise he's crying. donghyuck doesn't say anything, just allows mark to cry in his arms. donghyuck's heart clenches when he witnesses how mark breaks into pieces in front of him. it takes a while before mark calms down, and his cries are reduced to hiccups.

"my parents were killed," he breathes out, and mark feels as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

"they were killed right in front of my eyes. one moment they were right next to me, the next moment they were dead. shot through the head. i didn't even get to tell them i loved them," mark sobs, cowering further into donghyuck's shoulder. donghyuck runs a finger through the older's hair. then mark begins to tell donghyuck everything. about how he'd dropped out of school because he couldn't afford to pay the school bills, how he'd worked all sorts of jobs to live till today, and how he wishes he'd just died at some point along the way. donghyuck's eyes widen and he gasps when he hears the words leave mark's mouth, and he pulls the older closer to him. he knows it probably doesn't mean much, but he just wants mark to never think of that ever again. mark begins to feel drowsy in the younger's arms, and he hears donghyuck whispering something about how he'll never leave him, and a smile appears on his face. he thinks its funny how they've literally met a few hours ago, and here they were now cuddling in his bed, in his new home, making promises they didn't know if they could keep.

kun enters the bedroom the next morning to wake the two up for breakfast, and he's greeted by the sight of the two sleeping in the same bed. donghyuck's head is rested on top of mark's head, and the latter's is cuddled into donghyuck's chest. mark has his hands rested on donghyuck's hips, their limbs tangled together, and soft snores are escaping the two males. a smile makes its way onto kun's face, and he slips out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. nobody questions anything when the two emerge from their bedrooms hours later.

\- 

it's decided by taeyong that mark will be trained to fight. mark doesn't resist, allowing the older to make the necessary decisions. he begins to get closer to the rest of the gang, and they begin to feel like family. mark is trained by johnny and yuta, who teach him how to not just throw effective punches, but how to play mind games as well. sometimes, he even gets to train with donghyuck, which he really thinks is a bonus. he always loses to the younger though. 

"where are you gonna go minhyung-ie?" donghyuck sings as they face each other, ready to throw a punch at any moment. a smirk appears on mark's face.

"wherever you aren't."

donghyuck pouts before a scowl replaces the pout on his face, and he swings an arm at the older. mark manages to dodge swiftly, and he sees the younger's leg swinging towards his legs. it hits the back of his legs before he can react, and he ends up on the floor. donghyuck tackles him to the ground so that he's sitting on mark's hips. mark groans at the realisation that he's lost _again_ to the younger. 

"i won! you're terrible at this, lee minhyung," he sticks his tongue out at mark, to which the other just rolls his eyes. 

"i was just going easy on you. don't get cocky hyuckie."

"you wish mark lee," donghyuck scoffs, "i'm the best here and you know tha-"

mark manages to catch the younger off guard, and he flips them over so that now he's on top of the younger. his arms reach up to cage the younger in between them.

"so i'm terrible, huh?" mark pouts, giving donghyuck the best heartbroken look he can pull off. donghyuck laughs before nodding his head. "don't regret this, hyuck," mark whispers as his hand trail down to the younger's sides. he attacks him with tickles, and the younger's eyes widen in shock. uncontrolled laughter escapes his mouth and he struggles to get out from under mark. the older only stops when donghyuck starts begging him to "stop please" as he wriggles under him. tears escape the corner of the younger's eyes and mark's finger reaches up to wipe it off as they both laugh. his fingers stop on the younger's cheek when their eyes meet, and mark takes in the sight of donghyuck. he'd joined NCT merely a week ago when he'd met donghyuck, but it felt as if he'd known the younger all his life. its undeniable that over the course of a few days, he'd begun to develop feelings of affection, feelings that he's never had for anyone in his entire life for the younger. its a weird and unfamiliar feeling, but mark likes it. his hand caresses the younger's cheek, and warmth spreads through his body when donghyuck nuzzles into his touch.

"hyuck, i like you," he whispers out, eyes never leaving the younger. 

donghyuck's eyes widen for a moment before they soften again, and he leans closer to the older.

"i like you too minhyung," and mark groans inwardly at how good his name sounds on the younger's tongue. it's sounds so natural, as if it was made just for donghyuck to address him by. mark loses himself in the younger's eyes, and he wonders how those red lips would taste against his, how it would feel. their faces are barely inches apart and donghyuck's eyes flutter shut. 

"hey bitche-oh shit," the door to the training room flings open, and renjun regrets having opened the damned door. mark and donghyuck's whip towards the door. 

"what's happening- oh!" ten appears, and when he sees mark on top of donghyuck in the middle of the room, lips barely inches apart, a smirk makes its way onto his face. he grabs renjun by the shoulder and they turn to leave, shouting a "please continue!" before slamming the door shut behind him. 

a groan comes from underneath him, and mark turns his attention back to the younger male below him. donghyuck's hand are covering his face, and mark can tell the younger is blushing.

"god that was so embarrassing," donghyuck mumbles, and mark chuckles. rolling off the younger, he sits up straight and pulls donghyuck up into a sitting position. 

"they'll get used to it," mark smiles a silly grin, and donghyuck feels his heart about to burst from how full it is. he leans forward quickly to peck mark on the cheek, standing up to leave immediately after. mark sits in stunned silence, a hand resting on his cheek where donghyuck's lips had been a few seconds ago. when he snaps out of his dazed state, he realises that the younger is already halfway out the room. he scrambles to his feet to run after the younger who's bolting down the hallway.

"hey wait for me!"  
-  


life after they confess doesn't change much, but one day when taeyong calls for everyone to meet in the meeting room, he knows that something's happened.

he and donghyuck are sat next to each other, fingers intertwined. donghyuck's wearing eyeliner today, lip piercing and earrings back on again. mark knows it's something big, because he'd learned over the past few weeks than donghyuck only dresses up when he's really nervous. and for some reason, he feels anxious too. he plays with the younger's fingers nervously, and donghyuck turns to look at him with his usual gummy smile. usually, mark would have wondered how it was possible for someone to even look _that_ beautiful, but for some reason that smile today just makes mark feel even more on edge, as if the younger knew what was about to come. he leans forward to peck the younger's lips before slumping back into his seat. somewhere in the room he hears jisung facepalm and yukhei squeal like a baby at their exchange. everyone's seated, waiting for taeyong and jaehyun to arrive. when the door opens and taeyong strides into the room with jaehyun right behind him, everyone straightens in their seat. taeyong takes his seat at one end of the table. his eyes meet mark's and they nod at each other in acknowledgement. 

mark doesn't know what they're talking about, a few names thrown here and there. it's a fast meeting, just the spreading of details. he doesn't catch much, but what he does manage to catch is that it's a "dangerous mission", "donghyuck will be infiltrating the enemy's basecamp", and how "mark won't be involved in any of this". anger courses through his veins and he jolts up in his seat. 

"why won't i be a part of this?" he's fuming, because no way is he sending donghyuck on a death mission without him.

"mark you're still new. this will be too much-" 

"i want to be there. i'll be of help, and you know that," he says through gritted teeth and he feels donghyuck pulling on his wrist, trying to get him to calm down. taeyong seems to consider for a moment because it was true that mark was a skilled fighter and had good instincts, but his thoughts are interrupted by donghyuck's voice. 

"no. mark, you are not going on this mission," his voice low and demanding, something mark has never heard from him before.

"why not?!" mark finally erupts, slapping away donghyuck's hand from his wrists.

"it's dangerous," is all donghyuck says.

"and it's not dangerous for you?!" he turns to face taeyong who has an understanding but still stern expression on his face, "i don't care. put me in this or i'm just gonna show myself in," he finishes before storming out of the room. he strides up the stairs to his and donghyuck's bedroom, slamming the door behind him. he plops himself down on the bed, pulling the blankets over his head as he face plants into the pillow. the door to their room opens, and mark knows it's donghyuck from the familiar smell of strawberry and citrus shampoo. the bed dips and an all too familiar pair of arms wrap around his body. he refuses to turn around to look at the younger, burying himself further into his bed.

"mark?" donghyuck calls out, but he still doesn't respond.

"mark, talk to me please?" the younger pleads, and mark's resolve crumbles. he turns around slowly to make eye contact with the younger.

"if you're here to tell me to not join you guys, it's not going to work."

donghyuck sighs, pulling him and mark up into a sitting position.

"mark, please. it's really dangerous," he looks up into mark's eyes, and mark finally sees the tears in them. 

"and i don't want you to get hurt," he whispers out the last part. mark's gaze softens and he reaches for the younger's hand to intertwine their fingers.

"i don't want you to get hurt too, hyuck. i'll-" his breath hitches as tear begin to well up in his eyes, "i'll never be able to forgive myself if you get hurt. i'll never be able to live without you. you're so important to me and i just-i just never want to lose you," mark chokes out as the tears make their way down his face. mark reaches forward to rest his forehead on the younger's shoulder. he knows he should have expected this at some point in time. they were in a gang after all, and being in a gang meant security and danger all at the same time. a sob escapes his lips and he realises that donghyuck's crying too when he feels tear drops on his head. he lifts his head up to pull donghyuck's head to his chest, the younger's arms automatically reaching to wrap around his torso. they stay like that for a long time, and mark feels his heart breaking whenever he hears sobs escape the younger's lips. when they pull apart to look at each other through their tear-filled eyes, it's evident how tough this decision is for the both of them. 

"hyuck please, let me go. i need to be there to know that you're safe," mark pleads, taking the younger's hands in his. 

donghyuck's heart clenches in its spot. its a tough decision because who knows if both of them would even be able to make it out of there tomorrow alive? but his heart swells when he realises just how much he means to the older. he can't find it in his heart to reject the older because he knows full well what the older means. in the first place, he'd been the one to insist to taeyong that mark didn't get involved in the matter. he didn't know if he could find it in his will to live if he lost mark. but he knows its unfair to the older if he says no, so all he does is nod weakly. a sigh of relief escapes mark's lips and he leans forward to rest his forehead on donghyuck's. it's a silent gesture that donghyuck has learned over the past few weeks is mark's way of saying thank you.

their fingers naturally intertwine as they lean towards each other to close the gap between them. donghyuck's lips are soft as always, and mark's lips brush against the cold metal ring on the younger's lips. their heads tilt at an awkward angle in a desperate attempt to feel the other closer to them. mark's tongue swipes across the younger's lips, and donghyuck lets out a soft moan when mark's hands reach to rub at his waist. donghyuck's arms reach to rest on mark's shoulder, and tugging the older down, closer to him. the kiss is passionate, heated, as if tonight was their last night together. tears slip out of the corners of the younger's eyes as they flutter shut, and mark pushes donghyuck down onto the bed gently. his hands reach up to caress the younger's cheeks softly, as if donghyuck would disappear at any moment if he used even a little too much force. he hears a sob from the younger, and he pulls apart to peck the younger's eyelids, before he trails kisses down donghyuck's face. he leaves a kiss on his jaw, on every mole along the way down until he reaches his neck. donghyuck lets out a gasp when the older sucks on a spot on his neck, and his fingers grab at mark's hair, tugging at it slightly. mark pulls apart to admire the purple bruise beginning to form.

"minhyung," donghyuck gasps, breathless. mark pulls apart to look at him with a confused expression.

"i love you," the younger whispers, a smile appearing on his face. mark's heart swells in happiness and a tear unconsciously slips out of his eye.

"i love you too, lee donghyuck," he mutters against the younger's lips before continuing to trail kisses along donghyuck's skin. 

the night isn't like any other as donghyuck allows mark to have all of him. they're afraid, both of their hearts beating quickly in their chests, afraid that if they woke up the next morning the other wouldn't be there anymore. they're afraid, afraid of the reality that they have to face the next morning when they get up. mark whispers words of affections against the younger's skin, "i love you"s becoming a constant exchange between the two for the entire night. mark can hear donghyuck's heartbeat, and he knows that donghyuck can hear his too, but he doesn't care. not when they only have possibly their last night together. 

-

mark wakes up to donghyuck cuddled up against his chest, dressed in the older's tshirt that is just slightly too big for his small frame. he wonders what it'd be like to wake up next to donghyuck, in a house they could call their own, where they didn't have to ever fear losing each other. he admires how peaceful the younger looks deep in sleep, and mark wonders how it's even possible for anyone to look this beautiful. he leans down to peck donghyuck's forehead softly, lips lingering for a good few seconds. the younger shift in his sleep, and his eyes open slowly, and god, he looks like a kitten. mark's heart almost bursts from how full it is, and he smiles warmly at the younger.

"good morning, beautiful," he whispers.

"morning," donghyuck whispers back, before leaning up to peck mark's lips. their finger's intertwine underneath the covers, and mark wishes that this is all a dream because he never wants to wake up.

they stay like that, laying in bed as they gaze into each other’s eyes. the smile never leaves donghyuck’s face, and it breaks mark’s heart so much because it just made it seem as if the younger had already accepted his fate.

“hyuck?” the younger hums in reply, encouraging the older to continue speaking.

“let’s get married,” mark takes a deep breath when he sees donghyuck’s eyes begin to widen.

“after all this, let’s get married. we’ll get our own small apartment close to the rest, a puppy like you’ve always wanted, and we can adopt kids in the future as well,” he finishes breathless because he’d said that all in one breath. 

donghyuck doesn’t reply for a moment, unsure of how to. when he manages to register what exactly the older means, the edges of his lips tug upwards, and he feels tears begin to sting his eyes.

“are you proposing to me?” he teases the older, and coos when he sees the blush dusting mark’s cheeks as he nods.

“okay, let’s get married,” he whispers out before crashing his lips against the older’s. mark tugs him closer by the waist so that there’s no space between their bodies at all. donghyuck’s hand reaches up to caress the older’s cheeks, and he sighs blissfully into the kiss. this causes mark to smile into the kiss, and donghyuck wants this moment to last forever.

a knock on the door disrupts their moment, and they can make out johnny's voice coming from the other side. 

"time to wake up! breakfast in 30 minutes!" he shouts, and mark just pulls the younger closer to him. their limbs are tangled and all mark wants to do is spend his entire life like this with donghyuck, without any worries. donghyuck flashes him a smile before he picks himself off the bed and winces slightly when he tries to walk. mark only smirks at the sight before him, standing up to carry the younger bridal style. donghyuck lets out a yelp when he's lifted up, and mark leaves a quick peck on his lips before carrying him over to the bathroom. doyoung covers jisung's eyes while jungwoo covers chenle's when mark and donghyuck come out from their bedroom, donghyuck in mark's arms. donghyuck blushes when he feels everyone's eyes on them, but mark doesn't let him live it down, pecking him on the lips again. only when the bathroom door closes behind the couple does doyoung and jungwoo remove their hands. 

yuta snickers when donghyuck limps towards the breakfast table, earning himself a slap on the arm by sicheng who's seated on his right. he pouts at his boyfriend before turning back to his food. strangely, the atmosphere at the breakfast table is just like usual, as if they weren't about to send themselves into death's hands in literally a few hours. mark shifts uncomfortable in his seat, but donghyuck looks as if he's already used to it. when everyone is done eating, they find themselves gathered in the living room just before they're about to set off. taeyong's standing nearest to the door, and he's deep in thought. he'd given everyone numerous chances to back out, insisting that they didn't have to take part if they didn't want to. of course nobody took him up on his offer because what kind of family were they if they weren't there for the rest? 

"i know everyone's been trying to get their minds off it, but let's focus today. one wrong step and everything will go downhill," he pauses, "it's been great to know all of you. i promise each and every single one of you that i'm going to get you all out alive," he whispers the last part. everyone nods grimly, and mark's hold around donghyuck's hand tightens. 

all of them would be heading in, except for kun, chenle and renjun would be providing them with the instructions from where their car would be hidden a good few blocks away. 

when they climb into the van to leave, donghyuck is sat at the back with mark. again today, donghyuck has his eyeliner draw black and thick, his earring hanging off one ear and the lip piercing in its usual place. he'd also put on his turquoise coloured contacts again. their fingers are intertwined all the way, donghyuck's head resting on mark's shoulder while mark's is resting on top of his head. mark feels like crying, but he knows better than to let his emotions get the better of him right now. instead, he turns donghyuck's towards his, and leaves kisses all over his face. donghyuck giggles, eyes warm as he looks at mark with nothing but love, love, and more love. mark leaves the last kiss right smack on his lips, wanting to burn the feeling of the younger's lips on his in his head. donghyuck moans against his lips, and renjun turns around to look at them with a weird look on his face. but jeno tells him to just leave them alone, as he takes jaemin's and his hands into his own. renjun then remembers that oh yeah, they could possibly die in the next few hours. so he rests his head on jeno's shoulder, and cuddles into his side. 

when they arrive, it looks just like any other building in urban seoul. they're parked a good distance away, and mark can make out a few men patrolling the outside of the building. they all get into their positions, and mark feels even more anxious. from the corner of his eyes, he sees yuta and sicheng exchange a quick kiss, johnny and ten doing the same, and for a moment he's almost shocked when he sees jaehyun and taeyong doing the same. his hold around donghyuck's hand tightens, and he pulls donghyuck into a hug. renjun kisses jeno and jaemin, almost breaking into a fit of tears before he sends them off. he forces himself to look away as they leave, a look of equal longing in their eyes. the 10 boys stealthily make their way over to where their destination is, taeyong at the front. when they get to a door, jaehyun expertly begins to pick at the lock, and it opens with a soft "crack" before they make their way into the base. it definitely won't be long until the enemies notice that the lock on the door is gone, so they only have that much time. 

they make their way down a flight of stairs, and in the distance, mark can make out some voices. taeyong puts his finger to his lips, gesturing for them to keep silent. from the corner, there are 4 figures huddled around a table. they appear to be off-guard, and when taeyong gestures, they quickly move into place. mark, yuta, doyoung and taeyong himself creep up behind the 4 men, before reaching to hit the back of their necks, knocking them out.

"easy game," yuta mutters as the man goes limp in his arms. the quickly set to work on tying them to their chairs so that they wouldn't be able to move even if they did wake up.

their eyes dart around to take in the surroundings. they're in some sort of warehouse. when taeyong gestures that it's safe, they all continue on their way further in. suddenly, the lights are turned on, and mark winces at the brightness. 

"we've been waiting, NCT," a voice booms from across the warehouse.

"fuck," mark hears taeyong curse under his breath, and he knows that they're in deep trouble.

"language, lee taeyong" a man who appears to be in thirties appear. he's of average height, definitely no taller than mark is, a dark look in his eyes. his eyes scan across the group of teenagers, and when he sees mark, his eyes light up in genuine shock.

"lee minhyung?" mark snaps out of his daze when he hears his name being called by an unfamiliar voice. his head snaps up to look at the owner of the voice.

"who the fuck are you and how do you know me?" he hisses through gritted teeth, and the man appears to be shocked for a moment, before a smirk appears on his face.

"sharp tongue i see, just like your father," an evil laughter escapes his mouth, and mark's breath hitches. donghyuck notices how mark stiffens in place, and how the vein in his neck looks like its about to pop.

"how do you know my father?" mark probes further. the man simply shrugs his shoulders, a look of pure amusement on his face. 

"he was one of my best men," then a scowl replaces the sinister smile on his face, "until he decided it was a good idea to betray me. was a fucking undercover."

mark knew that his father was a police man, but never had he been told that he'd gone undercover to be part of a gang. his mother had refused to tell him, saying that his father's job wasn't anything serious everytime he came home with a bruise on his face. mark had known it wasn't nothing, but not that he'd been getting himself involved with gangs.

"so you killed him and my mother?" the words come out low, and donghyuck almost cowers in place when he hears how cold mark's voice is. 

"of course i did. couldn't have a backstabbing fucker in here right?" the crooked smile returns on the man's face, and mark growls.

"you fucking asshole," mark lunges himself forward, only to be held back by donghyuck. donghyuck's arms wrap around the older's waist, and he whispers in mark's ear. mark catches "calm down", "don't let him get you", so he calms down a little in donghyuck's arms. 

the man before the group only stares at him, a look of amusement on his face. he calls for one of his henchemen, and whispers into his ears. 

before mark can register what's happening, they're surrounded and outnumbered. the other side initiates the first attack, and a man lunges for taeyong. taeyong swiftly dodges, kicking the man at the back of his neck. a man swings his fist at mark, but mark dodges, and doesn't hesitate to jam his fist into the other's face. from the corner of his eyes, he sees that yuta is spitting out blood while taeil and johnny struggle to fend of 4 other guys at once. doyoung, jaehyun and taeyong are off on the other side, defending themselves well against 5 other men. jaemin and jeno are fighting as well, working well together as a team. he can't make out where the rest are, and his eyes begin dart around anxiously in search for donghyuck, and he breathes a sigh of relief when he notices that yukhei is helping the younger out. for a moment, he's off-guard, and he gets hit by an unsuspecting man from behind. he feels blood begin to drip from the back of his neck, and a growl escapes his lips. he retaliates quickly, swinging a punch at the man, knocking him out almost immediately. 

"nobody messes with my fiance!" donghyuck screams out, slamming his bat into the back of mark's attacker. a grin appears on mark's lips when he hears the word "fiance" slip out of the younger's lips. his heart swells in pride, and he feels a sudden surge of energy. 

_it sounds perfect coming from him_ , is what mark thinks to himself.

but it's a fact they they're outnumbered, and soon the 15 boys are forced into the middle of the room, their backs to each other as they're trapped in a circle of armed men.

amidst all the chaos, the leader of the rival gang suddenly shots a bullet into the air. everyone stops fighting, and mark kicks the man in front of him one last time in the gut. everyone's attention turns to the man with the gun. 

"tell you what, you leave that boy here," he points the donghyuck, "and we'll pretend today never happened."

johnny and taeil struggle to get to their feet, and from the corner of his eyes, mark can see that everyone at least has taken a few hits here and there. the situation is not in their favour, and mark sees the conflicting look in taeyong's eyes as he limps towards jaehyun. he clenches his fists, anger coursing through his veins.

"no way in fucking hell," mark growls, standing in front of donghyuck protectively, and nobody moves for a few seconds.

"i'll go with you," donghyuck pipes up from behind mark. the other 14 boys turn to look at him with wide eyes.

"donghyuck you don't have to do this," taeyong looks at him with a pained expression.

"what the fuck lee donghyuck what the fuck do you think you're doing?" mark grabs the younger's hand harshly. donghyuck winces slightly at how tightly mark is grabbing his hand, but he looks up at the older with resolve in his eyes. 

"please mark. it's easier if one person goes. if we can exchange 1 life for 14 others, isn't it worth it?" donghyuck pleads, voice cracking at the end.

"5 seconds to decide before i shoot!" a sinister laughter escapes the man's mouth as he aims at donghyuck. 

"5," the look in donghyuck's eyes almost crushes mark's resolve. a defeated look, but a smile still on his face.

"4," donghyuck turns to look the other 15 boys in their eyes, nodding at them as he's met with grim faces.

"3," donghyuck turns back to mark. he cups the older's face in his, leaning forward to crash their lips together.

"2," tears are streaming down their faces and donghyuck's runs his fingers through mark's hair for the last time. 

"1~" 

"i love you, lee minghyung," its rushed, but they treasure it anyway.. 

"0~! time's up!" they pull apart, and donghyuck looks at him with the biggest smile on his face. 

"i love you too," mark mouths back as donghyuck turns. he takes a deep breath before beginning to take a step forward. just then, the man pretends to be shocked, placing a hand over his mouth.

"oops, decided i don't want him anymore. say goodbye!" donghyuck is barely inches away and when the words leave the man's mouth, mark's natural instinct is to run forward and to pull donghyuck behind him. it doesn't take him long to reach the younger and to place himself in front of donghyuck protectively just when the gun goes off. 

_bang!_

mark collapses onto the floor, gripping onto the wound on his stomach. blood streams out, and he's almost about to faint from the pain. he hears donghyuck scream before he's taken into the younger's arms, and he feels the pain slowly dissipate.

"mark lee you're fucking stupid," is all donghyuck says amidst his tears. 

"i love you, donghyuck," mark whispers, a smile making its way onto his face as he takes in the sight of donghyuck. he burns the memory of the younger into his head, content at the fact that he'd been able to protect him. 

"fuck you, i love you too but you better not give up on me," donghyuck chokes out. mark feels tears drop onto his face, and his heart almost breaks at how broken the younger looks. 

"i'm sorry," he whispers as his hand reaches up to caress the crying male's cheeks.

just before mark loses consciousness, he hears the door to the warehouse open and donghyuck's pulling him closer, muttering something about "backup is here" and "we’re gonna get married". a smile makes its way onto mark’s face.

__

-

__

when donghyuck awakens, he realises he's in the hospital. he jolts up in his bed, wincing slightly at the pain at his side.

__

"donghyuck ah, you're awake," he finally notices jaemin who's sat in the chair next to him. he takes a moment to look at his surroundings before he remembers what had happened. 

__

"m-mark? where is he?" panic courses through his veins, and he feels his heart begin to sink when jaemin doesn't reply. 

__

"jaemin tell me please, where's mark? please i beg you," donghyuck begs, tears already making their way down his face as jaemin continues to look down at his feet.

__

"donghyuck you need to calm down. he's not dead, but the doctor says he has a very small chance of surviving," jaemin chokes out, finally willing to look donghyuck in the eyes. tears continue streaming down donghyuck's face and he begs jaemin to take him to mark. at first jaemin refuses, saying that he's not in the right condition to see the older. but he eventually gives in when donghyuck ends up getting on his knees. 

__

jaemin pushes donghyuck over to mark's ward where jeno is in. the words "intensive care unit 02: mark lee" are large, pasted onto the door of the room. when jeno sees donghyuck, his eyes light up and he rushes over to envelope the brunette in a hug. donghyuck returns the hug, glad that his friends are alive, before his eyes land on the male on the bed. mark's eyes are shut, and donghyuck notices the many tubes and machines connected to the older. theres a large bandage around his body, and donghyuck grabs the older's hand. he brings the older's hands up to his lips, kissing it lightly. he forces himself to stand up despite the pain in his side to press a soft kiss to mark's lips. tears cascade down his face when mark doesn't move at all, doesn't return his kiss with the usual gentle soft kisses that he would pepper all over donghyuck's face. a sob leaves donghyuck's lips as he takes in the sight of the extremely pale male before him. 

__

"the doctor said he'd lost a lot of blood," jeno mutters.

__

donghyuck doesn't say anything, just bursts into tears again. 

__

-

__

donghyuck later learns that the entire gang is okay, and that they'd managed to escape with a few heavy injuries here and there, nothing too serious, except for mark. they’d managed to receive last minute backup from their allied gangs, Red Velvet and EXO. without then, there was a good possibility that the entire of NCT would have been dead already since their plans had been foiled from the very start. even after 2 weeks, mark was still unconscious, and it killed donghyuck to think that the possibility of mark surviving had been decreasing everyday. 

__

he'd been discharged from the hospital a week ago with others like jaemin and jeno, while others such as yuta had to stay a little while longer. mark had slipped into a coma, and everyday donghyuck awoke to the sight of a still deep in sleep mark. he sets the food he'd gotten from the cafetaria down on the table as he takes a seat in the chair next to mark's bed.

__

"hey mark," a smile makes its way onto his face, "johnny and taeil got discharged today. everyone's out of the hospital now, you're the only one left. oh and jisung finally worked up the courage to confess to chenle after the entire thing," donghyuck chuckles to himself.

__

"you should've seen the look on taeyong's face when he found the two cuddling. he was about to bust a hole in the wall, complaining about how they were too young and all," he takes mark's hand in his. 

__

"you've been asleep for 2 weeks now. don't you think it's about time you wake up?" donghyuck lets out a bitter chuckle, "your hair's already longer than it was 2 weeks ago, and god, look at that facial hair," donghyuck's nose scrunches up. tears well up in his eyes again, and he rests his head on the bed, fingers still intertwined with the older's. “you asshole. who was the one talking about getting married? getting a puppy? adopting kids? get up lee minhyung, we have some marrying to do,” the words leave his mouth as a whisper, his voice cracking at the end. suddenly, mark's finger jerks in his hand, and donghyuck immediately jolts up in his seat. 

__

"mark?" then a furrow appears between the older's eyebrows before his eyes flicker open. donghyuck's eyes widen when mark's eyes land on him, and a smile makes its way onto his face.

__

"hey there, beautiful," mark croaks out, voice hoarse. everything happens too fast, and before mark can say anything else, donghyuck screams for taeyong who's outside the room, and he sees taeyong storm into the room with jaehyun in tow. their eyes widen when they see mark awake, and jaehyun sprints out of the room in search of a doctor.

__

when the doctor arrives, he does the usual, checking on mark's pulse, eyes and his wound before muttering a "it's a miracle" to him. he smiles at mark, slowly explaining the situation to him. mark doesn't know much about medical terms, but what he does get is that he'd lost too much blood, gone into shock, and then slipped into a coma for 2 weeks. the doctors had been pessimistic about his case, but all he can care about is how long he's been asleep. 

__

"2 weeks?!" he yelps out, a little too loud, and the wound in his stomach stings. donghyuck nods, glaring at the older.

__

"you scared the hell out of me when you fainted in my arms," donghyuck whispered out, and mark can see the distant, heartbroken look in donghyuck's eyes.

__

"why did you do that...?" mark smiles at the younger's questions. 

__

"because i love you," mark simply says, a nonchalant look on his face.

__

donghyuck climbs onto the bed, and mark scoots over a little to make space for him. the younger cuddles into mark's chest, arms wrapping around his torso, careful not to put any pressure on his wound.

__

"don't do that to me please, i don't think i'll ever be able to take that again," donghyuck whispers against his chest as he clenches the older's shirt tightly in his fists. mark's gaze softens at the younger's words, and his hand turns the younger's head to look at him, and that's when he finally sees the tears. 

__

"i'm sorry," he leans forward to peck the younger on the lips. guilt overwhelms him at the thought that he'd been the very cause of donghyuck's tears. donghyuck scoffs, back into his playful mood already.

__

"you think i'll forgive you with just one kiss?" he grumbles, but the corners of his lips still turn upwards anyway. 

__

"i'll make it up to you," mark mutters. 

__

"and how will you exactly, my dearest asshole?" mark pouts at the nickname. he pulls apart from the younger, causing donghyuck to look at him with a confused expression. 

__

"what are yo-"

__

"lee donghyuck," the words roll of his tongue naturally as he intertwines their fingers, and takes a deep breath.

__

"will you marry me?" he breathes out. donghyuck stares at him wide-eyed. for a moment, mark thinks of the possibility that donghyuck might reject him, and he starts to panic, before donghyuck bursts into tears. he tackles mark back into the bed, and a soft "oof" escapes the older's mouth as his back hits the soft pillows. mark's hands reach up naturally to pat the younger's head, running his fingers through his soft locks. 

__

"wh-who the heck even proposes without a ring?" donghyuck chokes out, and mark smiles sheepishly, slightly embarrassed. 

__

"sorry, i'll get it as soon as i get out of here."

__

silence envelopes the both of them, before donghyuck mumbles against the older's chest. 

__

"i can't hear you babe," a low chuckle escapes mark's lips as he tugs donghyuck closer to his body. donghyuck looks up at him with a glare, and mark thinks he's trying to look threatening, but he looks anything but threatening in mark's eyes.

__

"i said yes you dipshit."

__

it takes mark awhile to figure out what donghyuck's talking about, but when he finally registers what the younger's talking about, his eyes widen.

__

"w-wait, you're serious? you're okay with me? for real? we're-" mark doesn't get to finish his words as donghyuck crashes his lips on his. when he pulls apart, he rolls his eyes at the silly grin on mark's face.

__

"i can't believe i'm getting married to you," donghyuck rolls his eyes as he snorts. he yelps when mark suddenly envelopes him in a bone crushing hug, his head resting on the older's chest. mark buries his face in the younger's hair, breathing in the all too familiar scent that he'd come to be unable to live without, and his eyes flutter shut when donghyuck returns the hug.

__

getting married to donghyuck is a perfect reality. 

__

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! it really means alot and i'm sorry if it doesn't live up to your expectations!! thanks for reading till the end <3


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